Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-04
AFRAID TO TELL THE STORY.

He was about TO 90 on with his story
when his eyes met those OF his tenant
imploling him to keep still, and further
inquiries were futile.
In the mean time n large crowd OF
Italians gathered in the house, gesticu-
lating and casting suspicious. looks at
the reporter.
"Who you'll be, anyway = commenced
the tall Italian again, and half a dozen
others adhered away in Italian, dart
ing suspicious and ugly looks at their
visitor. At the suggestion of the tall
Italian the gathering finally adjourned
to a neighboring saloon, where young,
intelligent Italian barber took upon
himself the rite OF Interpreter.
The first thing the Italians wanted
to know was whether the reporter was
the coroner, and they seemed greatly
relieved when his real identity was
established.
BOUGHT THE COFFIN WEEKS BEFORE HER
DEATH.
Then Lagorio began to tell that the
woman had been confined to her bed
for over six months. Her name was
Francesca Cenessa, and during her
long sickness it was supposed several
times that she was dead. a col
fin was bought for the woman
several months ago, when every
body believed the woman dead, but
the coffin could not be used fora long
time. Itlay in the room, under the bed
on which the woman was lying. Twelve
different doctors attended the woman
during her sickness. She used to fall
asleep for several days, when she
seemed dead, but then she would wake
up and come to life again. The death
certificate was issued by DR.. Nichol
Re, Of 361 Dearborn street.
SIZE AROSE IN HER COFFIN.
The woman's death was described by
a neighbor, an Italian named Francesca
Pendoli, as follows
Zone day while standing at the cor
ner of Polk and Clark streets my at.
tention was attracted by large crowd
having gathered around the house. |
Joined the crowd, and, upon inquiry, |
was told that the woman who was lying
apparently dead in a coffin had just
risen TO her feet and kissed one Of her
children. | saw how the collin was
covered and nailed, but did not sus-
pect the woman was still alive. A few
days afterwsrd / heard neighbors COM
menting on it. They said the wo,aan
might have been alive, as they saw her
rise from the coffin shortly before 1t
was nailed.
Mr.. Louis, who lives at s. Polk street,
has also heard the story about the
woman's death. 81 was absent from
nv home that day." he said, "and all
know is what 1 heard. l understand
the woman was supposed to be dead at
10 o'clock in the morning, while at in
the afternoon she began to move, show
ing signs of life.
CoBRoBORATINd THE ACCOUNT.
Similar stories were told by many
other neighbors, some OF whom be-
lieye that the woman was buried In
such haste because some OF the people
who felt her sickness a burden wanted
to get rid Of her. The name OF the
undertaken could not be learned. The
husband Of the dead woman says he Is
an Italian living on Archer avenue.
DR.. Re admitted having issued the
death certificate without seeing the
body on application of the father OF
the woman. He had attended the
woman several days before her death
and knew that she had been suffering
from peritonitis. On that account he
had no hesitancy in signing certif-
cate of death on her fathers statement
without making personal examination
at the time.